Chair.



No. 666,784. Patent ed Ian. 29, I901. n. c. WETHERHEAD.

CHAIR.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFrcn.

DOUGLAS CHARLES WETHERHEAD, OF RAMEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 666,784, dated January 29, 1901.

Application filed April 28, 1900. Serial No. 14,756. (No model.)

T at whom, it may concern.-

7 Be it known that I, DOUGLAS CHARLES WETHERHEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ramey, in the county of Clear field and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Chair, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chairs in general, and more particularly to that class known as folding chairs, one object of the invention being to provide a construction in which the chair may be adjusted for its back to lie at different angles and which may be folded and unfolded with ease.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the seat will be yieldably supported in its different positions and in which the parts may be folded into small compass.

Further objects of the invention will be evident from the following description.

Referring now to the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the complete chair in its upright position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the chair in its reclining position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the chair in its folded position. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the lower portion of the chair and showing the arrangement of the seat-supporting springs. Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the pivotal connection of the seat with the front legs of the chair. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the seat.

Referring now to the drawings, the present chair comprises front vertical legs 5 and 6, adjacent the upper ends of which and upon their outer faces are pivoted the back legs 7 and 8 of the chair, these legs 7 and 8 extending rearwardly at angles to the front legs and having their under sides beveled at the ends to rest flat against the floor. The back legs 7 and 8 are held at the proper angles to the front legs 5 and 6 by means of latches 10 and 11, each consisting of a plate pivoted at one end to a back leg of the chair and having a transverse recess in its front portion for engagement with a pin 12 on the inner face of the corresponding front leg. These latchplates may be disengaged from the pins when the chair is to be folded. The back legs are pivoted to the front legs by a common pivot 13, and this pivot-rod acts-also to pivotally connect the front end of the seat with the front legs. This seat comprises a rectangular frame 14, on the upper side of which is secured the chair-bottom 15, said bottom terminating flush with the front and rear edges of the frame and also flush with the side edges thereof, so that while the chair is unfolded the frame may rest upon the upper ends of the front legs 5 and 6 and the sides thereof and of the chair-bottom may lie flush with the outer sides of the front legs. Angleirons l7 and 18 are secured to the front of the seat-frame and on the under face thereof, these irons having their depending portions perforated to pivot-ally receive the pivot-rod 13. The ends of the legs 5 and 6 act as stops for the chair-bottom to hold it from pivotal movement below the horizontal position; but the bottom may be moved readily in the opposite direction, as when folding the chair. The rear end of the seat-frame has rods 20 and 21 pivoted thereto, and these rods are slidabl y engaged with perforations in a transverse brace 22, which connects the rear legs of the chair. Helical springs 23 encircle the rods 20 and 21 and rest with their upper ends against the frame of the chair-seat and with their lower ends against the brace 22, so that they support the rear end of the seat yieldably, the rods being held normally from upward displacement from the perforations by means of engaging pins 24, which lie transverselyin the rods. The pins may, however, be removed to permit withdrawal of the rods when the chair is to be folded.

Metallic plates 25 are secured to the sides of the seat-frame and project at their ends beyond the frame,'the rear upwardly-projecting ends of the plates being pivotally connected with the side rails 27 of the chair-back, which rails project above and below the chairseat and are connected above the seat by the usual cross-pieces 29, to which the filling 30 is secured. The back is held at different points of its pivotal movement by rack-bars 31, which are pivoted to the side rails of the back and have rack-teeth 32 adjacent their opposite ends and which are adapted to successively engage the headed pins 33, engaged with the seat-frame. Arms for the chair are formed by arm-rests 34:, which are pivoted to the rails 27 of the back and are also pivoted adjacent their front ends to supports or uprights 35, which are in turn pivoted to the seat-frame. These arms are thus adjustable automatically with the back.

A leg-rest for the chair consists of a rectangular frame 36, having a filling 37, of any suitable material. To the sides of the frame are secured the plates 38, which pivotally engage the forwardly projecting ends of the plates 25, so that the leg-rest is pivotally connected with the seat, and in order to adjust the leg-rest automatically with the adj ustment of the back connecting-rods 39 are pivoted to the downwardly-projecting portions of the side rails 27 of the back and have pivotal connection with the frame of the leg-rest. The connection of the rods with the leg-rest is, through the medium of headed pins 40, engaged with the rest-frame and which pins are received in transverse slots in the ends of the rods. Thus as the back is moved in either direction the leg-rest is similarly moved.

In folding the chair the several latch and rack bars are disengaged from their pins, and the seat and leg-rest are folded to lie against 'the back, the rear legs lying against the under side of the seat and the front legs lying against the leg-rest, with the supportingsprings lying between the rear legs, all of which is shown in the drawings. It will thus be seen that the parts of the chair may be folded to lie closely and that when set up it may be adjusted to difierent positions, the entire structure being simple and efficient and having great strength.

It will of course be understood that in practice the specific construction shown may be modified and that any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A chair comprising front legs, back legs pivoted to the front legs, a seat pivoted to the front legs, supporting-springs between the seat and the rear legs, a back independent of the legs and pivoted to the seat, said back being movable with the seat against the tend eucy of the supporting-springs, and means for holding the back at difierent angles to the seat.

- 2. A chair comprising supporting-legs, a seat pivoted at its front edge to the legs and having springs disposed to support the rear portion of the seat, a back pivoted to the seat and movable therewith against the tendency of the springs, a pivoted leg-rest, and connections between the back and the leg-rest for moving one from the other, whereby when the seat is moved against the tendency of the springs, the leg-rest will be moved.

3. A chair comprising a supporting-frame including front legs, back legs pivoted to the front legs, a seat pivoted to the legs, the pivot of the seat and legs being common, a brace connecting the rear legs and provided with perforations, rods pivoted to the seat and slidably engaged with the perforations, heli-- cal springs encircling the rods and resting with their ends against the seat and brace to yieldingly support the free end of the seat, a back pivoted to the seat, and means for holding the back at various angles to the seat.

4. A chair comprising a supporting-frame including front and rear legs pivotally connected, a seat pivoted to the legs, the pivot of the legs and seat being common, yieldable means for supporting the free end of the seat, a back comprising side rails pivoted to and extending below the seat, rack-bars pivoted to the rails and adapted for adjustable engagement with the seat to hold the back at various angles thereto, a leg-rest pivoted to the seat, rods pivoted to the lower ends of the rails of the back and having removable connection with the leg-rest, arms pivoted to the rails of the back, and supports for the arms, pivoted to the arms and to the seat, the legs having means for holding them in operative position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DOUGLAS CHARLES WETHERHEAD.

Witnesses:

J. T. FOULKE, JOHN DUNNING. 

